The present invention relates to an apparatus to facilitate the washing of a body. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the washing of a human body in either the standing, sitting or prone position.
It is a common problem that individuals who are incapacitated, such as the elderly or infirm, may have limited mobility and therefore experience difficulty using a shower or bath in order to wash their bodies. Even when provided with support in the form of a nurse or carer, such individuals may find that negotiating the sides of a bath or coping with the standing or sitting under a shower requires more flexibility than they are able to demonstrate or may be too tiring for them to cope with. Furthermore, some invalids may be unable to leave their bed in order to wash.
One existing solution for such individuals, which are hereafter referred to as patients, is the conventional bed-bath, which is traditionally administered by a carer or nurse. However, such a solution requires strength and effort on the part of the carer, often does not result in particularly thorough washing and drying of the patient, and does not afford the patient much privacy or respect.
Alternative solutions include various devices for encasing all or a portion of the patient's body and channeling water at the body in order to perform the washing function. However, such devices often require that the patient is turned over part way through the process which requires effort on the part of the carer or the patient and may be inconvenient and/or uncomfortable for some patients. Other devices require operation by a third party, thereby failing to overcome the issue of patient privacy during the washing process. And most devices fail to either clean or dry the patient properly, which can lead to bed-sores, skin inflammation and/or infections and the like.
There is therefore a need in the prior art for a device to allow efficient, hygienic and effective washing of the body and which allows the privacy of the patient to be respected throughout the process, whilst minimising discomfort for the patient.